[July 26, CMSP News]  On July 26, 2013, three astronauts who completed China's longest manned space mission in June were awarded medals for their outstanding contributions to the country's space programs. They were praised to be "brave explorers" of the Chinese nation that advocates the peaceful use of outer space, and the whole country were called on to learn from their bravery, hardwork and self-sacrifice.

Nie Haisheng, commander of the Shenzhou-10 mission crew and a second-time space traveler, was honored with a second-class aerospace achievement medal; Zhang Xiaoguang and Wang Yaping, the second female astronaut of China, were both conferred a third-class aerospace achievement medal and the honorary title of “heroic astronaut”. The decision was made by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

On June 11, the three astronauts were launched into space aboard Shenzhou-10 and they returned to Earth on June 26. During the 15-day journey in space, the three astronauts carried out a series of space-specific medical experiments, technical tests and delivered a physics lecture to students on Earth. (By Staff Editor Yu Yanjuan)